


Snowflake

by Aweebwrites



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Tragedy, Blood, Blood Loss, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Descent into Madness, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Not Happy, Psychological Trauma, Suicide, They both need a Hug, Though to be fair it's more blood than gore, Time Loop, this is what happens when death gets bored and calls in a favor with father time, though it's more self sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:21:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23357674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aweebwrites/pseuds/Aweebwrites
Summary: Some things we can have...But can't keep...See...But can't touch...
Relationships: Cole/Zane (Ninjago)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50





	Snowflake

It drifted slowly down from the air, the pale light of a cloudy day, its glow having its pale surface to shimmer like a jewel. It was as beautiful as one, daintily drifting down as it was. But it was untouchable. For the second he would reach out to touch it… It would be destroyed...

“Cole?” Green eyes looked away from the gray skies to focus on the vivid blues watching him with a hint of concern. “Are you alright?” The pale male asked him, his breath coming out in puffs of swirling mist.

Unlike Cole himself, he wore a light jacket and gloves, the cold of winter not bothering him much at all. His bright blue eyes reminded him of the summer skies but his pale skin and platinum blond hair made him look like the perfect effigy of winter. Cole chuckled, watching him blink away a snowflake that fell on his long, almost white lashes.

“I’m fine. It’s just, it’s not everyday we get to enjoy snowfall this light.” Cole told him with a smile, watching him rub his eye.

“I guess so…” Zane murmured then looked up too. “... I kinda hate winter…” He whispered and Cole frowned a bit, hearing him perfectly well.

He didn’t know that…

Zane turned to him then and smiled, nudging his shoulder from the park bench they sat on, pulling a smile from him too. 

“That’s better. We should enjoy the time we have left with smiles.” Zane told him lightly, his pale cheeks pinking up from the steady drop in temperature.

Cole smiled ruefully, both of his hands tucked into his thick jacket lined with dark fur. He had a point. Winter break won’t last forever. He blinked, noticing that the snowfall was increasing before pulling his phone out and checking the time.

**December 19th, 12:32pm.**

They still had time to go somewhere inside.

“Let’s go warm up with some hot cocoa. There’s a shop not too far away that makes them really tasty.” Cole suggested as he got up and Zane smiled as he did the same.

“And I suppose this shop also sells cake, hm?” Zane teased as they walked side by side, their shoulders brushing as they did.

Cole laughed then, knowing he’s been found out.

“You know me so well.” He mused, looking down at the pale beauty as he chuckled.

“I know you  _ too  _ well.” Zane corrected as they came to a crosswalk to get to the other side of the street where the shops were.

“No shame in that.” Cole grinned and Zane huffed.

They both walked up to the crosswalk- but then Zane slipped on thin ice that was almost invisible on the sidewalk and right into the road. Cole stepped out, reaching for him with a cry of his name- but it was too late. Zane sat up- and a speeding truck slammed into his body, splashing his blood everywhere. Over the signs, over the ground over… Him. Cole stared down at his body with wide eyes, his body shaving violently as the smell of his blood filled his nose, dripped down the side of his face and pooled around his mangled corpse in the road. His stomach lurched, his head was spinning. He could hear people screaming, could hear the commotion as he stood there, staring, feeling his limbs, his entire body going numb.

“This can’t be real…” His voice sounded far away, just like his body did.

It felt as if he was somewhere else watching this. It can’t be real. Just seconds ago, everything was ok… Just seconds ago… Just… His vision went dark but just before it did, he saw an ominous green figure.

________

Cole jolted awake, blinking up at the ceiling as his heart thudded against his chest. What… What was that? It was… A dream? He sat up slowly, his head throbbing as the sheets pooled into his lap. Flashes of blood and a corpse had him squeezing his eyes shut tightly, pressing his face into his hands. It was just a dream. Just a dream. He took a slow breath then blinked once he heard his phone chime from next to him. He picked it up, seeing a message from Zane.

_ ‘Meet me at the park today?’ _

His eyes caught the time and date.

**December 19th, 11:39 am.**

He hesitated for a moment, thumb hovering over the new message before he gave in and tapped on it with his thumb.

_ ‘Sure. Be there by 12.’ _

______

It was strange. A sort of dejavoo sitting next to Zane as he was, holding the same conversations as they did in his dream. It… Unnerved him.

“Cole?” He looked across at Zane who was looking at him in concern. “Are you alright?” Zane asked him and Cole gave him a reassuring smile.

“I’m alright.” He told him, bumping their shoulders together, smiling softly as Zane chuckled.

Cole looked up once the snow began to come down heavier and he knew they couldn’t stay here. He frowned. This was…

He blinked then smiled wanly once Zane nudged him.

“That’s better. better. We should enjoy the time we have left with smiles.” Zane told him lightly, his pale cheeks pinkening from the increased drop in temperature. “I know. There’s a store nearby that makes good hot cocoa. They serve your favorite kind of cake too. That'll lift your spirits.” He says as he stood, pulling Cole up to his feet.

Cole wasn’t looking forward to going there but if it made Zane happy… He followed along, pulling out his phone to check the time and date again.

**December 19th, 12:32.**

The numbers sent a chill down Cole’s spine. He looked up, seeing them approaching that side walk again. Flashes of the slide, the truck, the blood, his body-

“Cole? Are you ok? You started breathing heavily all of a sudden…” Zane says with worry and Cole shook his head.

“Let’s go home instead. My place.” Cole says and Zane blinked but nodded.

“Sure, yeah.” He agrees, letting Cole tug him away from the crosswalk.

Cole didn’t miss the truck as it drove past them while they walked and he relaxed as they headed further into the city. They just had to go around the block and they’d be at his place in no time. They just-

Cole startled as people began to yell and scream out of nowhere. He looked up to where they were pointing, stumbling back as large metal poles rained down from the tower under construction and-

He heard the sickening squelch and the cut of cry of pain that followed, looking in time to see Zane fall over, one of the poles going straight through his chest and abdomen, Cole’s scream lost over the ringing and clanging pipes as they fell over each other and settled, blood from the deep cut on his cheek not even registering to him through his shock. He rushed towards Zane as he struggled for breath, the only thing now leaving Cole’s mouth being a constant stream of ‘This can’t be happening’-

But then he saw the green figure again, almost completely transparent and looking exactly like him grin wide at him.

“This is the real thing!” They laughed and Cole’s head throbbed and spun as his vision began to fade out.

He looked towards Zane desperately, the latter pushing himself up with one hand, blood trickling down from the corner of his lips. He wasn’t sure if he saw right but…

It looked as if he was smiling…

_______

Cole jolted awake again, heart pounding hard against his chest again as his body was washed in cold sweat. That- It happened again! It wasn’t a dream! His breathing picked up dramatically as panic engulfed him. He had to get to him! Had to save him! Before it was too late- again! He pushed himself out of bed, quickly grabbing his clothes and putting them on before shooting Zane a quick text to hurry and meet him at the park. He didn’t even take his jacket.

____

“Cole! What happened? Are you-”

“No time!” Cole yelled, grabbing him by the arm and taking off running, staying away from the crosswalk and the city this time, heading out to the over ground train station situated near the edge of the city. He had to get him away, had to save him! He couldn’t let him die again! Not again!

“Cole! Cole slow down! At least tell me where we’re going!” Zane yelled as he struggled to keep up with his pace but Cole wouldn’t answer him.

Couldn’t. He was winded from panic and from running still but he couldn’t stop. Refused to. They both panted once they finally reached the high rise train station, Cole pulling him to the top of the stairs that held the small station itself.

He panted heavily as he reached the top- only to gasp once he saw that green version of himself again, grinning widely at him. Maybe it was the exhaust ion, or the shock- or both- but his hold on Zane’s hand slipped and Cole watched horrified as Zane fell back down the high flight of stairs. He tumbled all the way to the bottom, falling hard on his back with his head tilted at an awkward angle along with a leg and arm of his, blood running from the corner of his lips. Cole stared down at his still form as he laid there, the snow coming down now and clinging to the lashes of his wide open, lifeless eyes. He screamed as his vision began to fade.

_____

It was an endless cycle. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, he kept having to watch Zane die. Over and over and over again, he had to watch him die. It’s been decades of this and Cole had long lost his sanity. All he wanted, all he wanted was to protect him. To save him. That’s all he wanted. Zane didn’t deserve this. Deserves life. To live. He doesn't deserve to die as he does. All of his deaths were horrible and bloody in the worst ways. He hated it so much. Hated being not able to actually  _ do  _ something to stop this.

Cole woke up sobbing. He couldn’t watch him die another time. Couldn’t take it. Couldn’t stand it. He sat up sluggishly, not bothering to wipe the tears away from his face that had a haunted expression etched deep. Somewhere between his last few deaths and now, he began to realise something. He got dressed as he always does, not caring enough to put on his jacket and answered Zane’s text. He can’t prevent Zane’s death, no matter how much they ran from it, no matter how much they hid from it… He gave Zane a tired smile once he met him at the park again as they always do for the past few decades.

Of course the blond immediately began fussing over his appearance, attempting to give him his jacket- but Cole stopped him, placing a large hand on his shoulder so he couldn’t take it off.

“Please Cole, talk to me. What’s going on?” Zane whispered as he looked up at him, blue eyes filling with tears and Cole sighed softly, pressing his forehead against Zane’s.

“I’ve always wanted to ask…” Cole whispered, looking down into Zane’s tear-filled eyes, swiping the tears away with his thumbs once they escaped. “Could I… Could I-”

Zane hadn’t let him finish, reaching up instead to cup his cheeks and pull him down against his lips, his chapped cold ones slotting perfectly against his thinner, warmer ones. Cole cupped the back of Zane’s head as he deepened the kiss, pressing his body flush against him as he kissed him as if the world was ending, as if  _ his  _ world was ending. They didn’t have long before something would come and steal Zane away from him yet again. The knowledge of that had Cole reluctantly pulling back from his lips, looking down at him fondly as Zane’s eyes fluttered open.

“I love you Zane.” He breathed against his lips and Zane’s eyes widened with surprise before tears filled them. “Let’s go to a shop nearby. They have great hot cocoa to get us warmed up.” Cole told him with a smile before Zane could ask again what was wrong.

“Cole-”

“Come on.” Cole grinned, taking his hand and walking towards the crosswalk not too far away.

Zane reluctantly went, hot tears falling down his cheeks. He didn’t like this. Didn’t like anything about Cole behaviour but… He reached up to touch his lips. That was the first time he ever kissed him… He even said… Zane swallowed down a sob as it came.

“Cole.” Zane says as he pulled away from his hand, walking around to face him as he walked still. “Cole I l-” His eyes widened once a step back resulted in him sliding backwards on ice, his eyes widened as he noticed a speeding truck heading right for him.

A large hand suddenly grabbed him then, pulling back towards the sidewalk as Cole himself darted out to take his place. Zane’s eyes widened as he whirled around, just in time to see the truck slam into him, the spray of blood from the hit dyeing his pale skin and hair red as he stared, horrified.

Cole saw his horrified expression, saw his own body twisted and mangled from the impact as he landed heavily on the road, his body sliding quite the distance away, smearing blood along the streets as it did. He could see that green version of himself standing near by, that version of himself that always laughed at his failed attempts and told him “Serves you right” watching him as his vision began to fade, sizzling tears rolling down his cheeks. He smiled as he began to go numb, his heart long stopped. If this was what it meant to save Zane, so be it.

Zane covered his mouth with blood smeared hands as he sobbed, shaking from the shock of it, his body feeling as if it were on the verge of collapse. He shook his head then darted for him, feeling his vision begin to go dark as he reached a hand out to him, that mechanical version of himself standing nearby with his head hung.

“Cole!” Zane sobbed, not sure if he was even running anymore. “I lov-”

______

Zane woke up with tears in his eyes. He blinked at the ceiling, the warm liquid falling down the sides of his face. He felt a weight in his palm. His phone. He held it up and looked at the time and date.

**December 19th, 10:37am.**

He set his phone aside before he sat up slowly, resting his head against the side of his window right next to his bed. More tears rolled down his cheek as he looked outside, a snowflake drifting down slowly just outside his window. He watched it as it did, shimmering in the pale light of day like the untouchable, fragile gem it was. Zane placed a hand on the glass of his window, his lips trembling as he did.

“I… I failed this time too…” He whispered to himself before he broke, hunching over as he sobbed.

The blue, mechanical figure of himself walked towards his bed, grinning wide in the face of his misery.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was heavily inspired by Heat-Haze Days, that Volcaloid song and this fan video for it: https://youtu.be/A7KNYk4f3XQ
> 
> It just popped up in my Youtube playlist and I couldn't not. Did I hurt myself writing this? Yes. Was it worth it? Also yes. As for the ghost and nindroid thing, I know they represent the Heat Haze in the video but here, I like to think of them as the evidence of their mind break. They're that little part of their consciousness that thinks they deserve this somehow given a more physical form. Ghost Cole ended up crying at the end to symbolize Cole morning for himself, the agony of death however, being nowhere near what he feels watching the love of his life dying over and over again. Anyways enough of my rambling!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
